CHARAN, a sacred race in the west of India, whose character and pursuits almost resemble those of the Bhat, or Bards, and the origin of both is involved in fable. In Hindu mythology, the Bhat are said to have been produced to amuse Parvati, from the drops of sweat on Siva's brow, but they sailg the praises of Siva only, which so offended Parvati, that she turned them out of heaven, and condemned them to lead a wandering life upon earth, to sing there the martial deeds of heroes and the praises of the gods. According to another legend, Mahadeva created a bard to attend to his lion and his bull, but the bull was daily killed by the lion, on which Maha deva, tired with daily creating a bull, formed the Cbaran to be their attendant. The Charan was equally devout with the Bard, but of bolder spirit, and from that date the bull was never destroyed by the lion. It is an allegory of brute violence and justice. The Charans of the Maru or desert in the sandy tract of the Indus, are mendicants who attend at marriages and festivals, and threaten to injure themselves if not relieved. The Charan is generally revered, and follows the profession of a bard, herald, and genealogist, and as such is often taken as personal security, the breach of which was followed by the death of the Charan, or of some member of his family. On this account it was usual for travellers in Malwa and Gujerat to hire a Charan to protect them, and the sanctity of his name was generally suffi cient. If robbers appeared, he stepped forward, waving his long white garments, and denouncing in verse, infamy and disgrace on all who should injure travellers under the protection of the holy members of Siva. If this failed, he stabbed him self with a dagger in the arm, declaring that his blood was on their heads ; and if all failed, be was bound in honour to stab himself to the heart. This is termed Chandi. The Charan, young and old, are not merely taught to desire to die when the honour of the family or clan require it, hut one and all are eager to be the first to die. Charan are divided into two tribes, the Kachili, who are merchants, and the Maru, who are Bards. These, again, branch out into 120 clans. The Kachili and Maru do not intermarry, but the latter intermarry with Rajputs. The Charan are taught to read and write. The mercantile tribe, who traffic in camels and horses largely, are shrewd men of business. The Maru tribe are genealogists and Bards, celebrate the praises of heroes in legends and songs. The warlike tribes esteem the heroic
lays of the Bard more than the homily of the Brahman. The Charans are throughout reve renced by the Rahtor, and hold lands literally on the tenure of 'an old song.' A colony of Charans from the frontiers of Cutch 13huj was founded at Murlah, near More, by rasa Hamir, who is celebrated in the history of Amu; he had a leprous spot on his hand, to remove which he made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Ilinglaz, upon the coast of Makran, the division (kits) of Arrian's geography. The /sIlirlalt Charans are of the tribe Kaucholcali, and are grain-carriers. The sanctity of their office made their persona sacred, and the immunity extended likewise to their goods, and saved them from all imposts ; so that in process of time they became the free traders of Rajputana. This community collec tively advanced to receive Colonel 'rod at some distance from the town. The procession was headed by the village band and all the fair Charani, who, as they approached, gracefully waved their scarfs over him. It was a novel and interesting scene : the manly persons of the Charans, clad in the flowing white robe, with the high loose folded turban inclined on one side, from which the mala, or chaplet, was gracefully sus pended; the naiks or leaders, with their massive necklaces of gold, with the image of the pitriswur (manes) depending therefrom, gave the whole an air of opulence and dignity. The women were uniformly attired in a skirt of dark brown camlet, having a bodice of light-coloured stuff, with gold ornaments worked into their fino black hair ; and all had the favourite ehuri, or rings of hati-dant (elephant's tooth), covering the arm from the wrist to the elbow, and even above it. The founders of this little colony accompanied rano, Hamir from Gujerat in the early part of his reign, and although five centuries have elapsed, they had not parted with one iota of their nationality or their privileges since that period ; neither in person, manners, nor dress had they anything analogous to those amidst whom they dwell. Indeed, their air is altogether foreign to India ; and although they have attained a high place amongst the tribes of India, their affinity to the ancient Persian is striking,—the loose robe, high turban, and flowing beard being more akin to the figures on the temples of the Guebres than to anything appertaining to the Char-burrun or four classes of the Hindus. — Rajasthan, ii. p. 622.